1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to a fastening device for fastening a child's seat to the seat of a vehicle by means of at least one retaining element which is attached to the vehicle seat and which holds a fastening element which can be moved between a service position and an out-of-service ("parking") position.
2. Description of the Related Art
The usual method for attaching a child's seat to the seat of a motor vehicle is to use the available safety belt. This type of attachment, however, is unsatisfactory with respect to behavior during a crash. During a collision, deceleration occurs as the crumple zones of the vehicle undergo deformation and thus absorb energy, whereas the passengers do not begin to undergo deceleration until after the slack in their safety belts has been taken up. When a child's seat is attached to the vehicle by the same type of belt, however, the slack in this belt must be taken up first under the load of the child's seat, then the slack in the safety belt of the child's seat itself must be taken up. This means the child in the seat decelerates after the adults and thus the deceleration takes place when the crumple zone is no longer absorbing a great deal of energy, with the result that the child must endure the residual load of the deceleration process until a full stop is reached. It has already been proposed that two fastening elements on the vehicle seat in the form of yokes be permanently attached to the vehicle structure or seat. These permanent yokes, however, are a nuisance during the times when no child's seat is buckled into the vehicle seat and an adult passenger is using this seating area instead.
It has therefore already been proposed that fastening elements in the form of yokes be pivoted into a "parking" (stowed or out-of-service) position; these fastening elements would be adjacent to the long sides of the seats and be installed in the rear area of the seat between the back and the seat cushion. When the user wishes to attach the child's seat, the fastening elements would be swung up out of the gap between the seat cushion and the back and into the service position, where they project out over the seat cushion to allow the attachment of the child's seat. After the fastening elements are pivoted back into the parking position in the gap between the back and the seat cushion, they are held in place there by a detent pawl. This pawl is located in an inaccessible place, however, which means that the user of the seat can operate it only by pulling on a Bowden cable connected to a release lever. A comparable fastening device is described in DE 196-50,087 C1.